PROV 14:12 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs. It has a very different structure from the longer poetic lectures of chapters 1–9. It consists mostly of individual couplets (two-line poems) that are each one verse in length. With the exception of the title (10:1a), paragraph breaks will not be indicated in the Notes or Display. You may of course choose to start each proverb as a separate paragraph in your translation.

In chapters 10–15, most of these one-verse couplets express a contrast between the two lines. One of the more common contrasts is between the righteous/wise and the wicked/foolish and the different consequences of their conduct.

In chapters 16:1–22:16, more topics are discussed. There is more emphasis on the role of the king and other leaders. In these chapters, there are few proverbs with contrasting lines. Some of the parallel lines are similar in meaning. More frequently, the second line adds to what the first line says or gives an example. Most of the verses have no obvious connection with the previous or following proverbs.UBS (page 214), Fox (page 509), McKane (page 413). Many scholars, including McKane, point out that there are some topical groupings as well as poetic connections. These include the repetition of certain words or sounds. This observation does not deny the individual nature of most of the proverbs in this Section.

Two of the types of proverbs in this section are not found in chapters 1–9. One type contains logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. See 11:31 for a list of these proverbs. There are also several varieties of complex “better than” proverbs. The most common have a contrasting situation in each line (see 12:9). For other varieties, see 16:16, 19:1, and 21:9.

Many of the proverbs in this section refer to categories of people who share a common trait. For example, they refer to the righteous, the wise, the poor, and the lazy. In Hebrew, some verses use singular forms to refer to these groups of people. Other verses use plural forms. Still others use a combination of singular and plural. See the note on 10:30a–b for one example. For most of these verses, the Notes will not comment on the difference between singular and plural forms. Use a natural way in your language to refer to one or more people who are in the same category.

Many of the proverbs in this section express a general principle in abstract terms. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. For example, 10:2a–b says:

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,

but righteousness delivers from death.

However, the author intended his readers to understand these proverbs as advice that they should follow. In some languages, authors or speakers give advice more directly, using pronouns such as you^(sing), you^(plur), we^(dual), or we^(incl). See the note on 10:2 for translation suggestions.

Some other headings for this section are:

Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

The Wise Words of Solomon (NCV)

Here are many wise things that Solomon said

14:12

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^12aThere is a way that seems right to a man,

^12bbut its end is the way of death.

14:12a

There is a way that seems right to a man,

There is a path that appears to be straight in a person’s point of view,
It is possible for a person to think he is following the right/correct way,

There is a way that seems right to a man: This verse has the familiar figure of a way or path. This path appears to be “straight” according to the viewpoint of a person. The figurative meaning is that a certain behavior or way of life may appear to be right or correct. Since the figure of a way/path occurs throughout Proverbs, it is recommended that you keep the figure if possible. For example:

A road may seem straightforward (REB)

You may think you are on the right road (CEV)

14:12b

but its end is the way of death.

and yet it can lead to his death.
but the result of following it is that he will die.

but its end is the way of death: The phrase translated here as its end refers figuratively to the outcome or result of following the path in 14:12a.

General Comment on 14:12a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the parallel clauses of this verse into one clause. For example:

You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead. (CEV)

What you think is the right road may lead to death. (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר

road/way_of right

Solomon is speaking of how a person lives as if that were a road or path that the person was walking along. Here, straight refers to the road being easy rather than being morally right. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [an easy way to live]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לִ⁠פְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ

to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before (a)_man

Here, to the face of refers to what is directly in front of a person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “right in front of a man”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אִ֑ישׁ

(a)_man

The word man represents a person in general, not one particular man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more natural expression. Alternate translation: “a person”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ֝⁠אַחֲרִיתָ֗⁠הּ

and,end_of,its

Here, the end of this road refers to the final result of living in this way. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “but its result”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת

way_of death

Here Solomon uses ways to refer to the destiny of those people who live according to what they have chosen as a straight road. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “is the destiny of death”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת

way_of death

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe the ways that are death. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “is the ways that are death” or “is the destiny that is death”

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.